The English update issue 164 165 | Page 6

VOL. 5 #164 • feb 28, 2014 “ “ Inbox Before giving a child Ritalin, please have him checked for the MTHFR genetic defect. MTHFR can be the cause of anxiety, agitation and poor concentration. In the most recent edition of the UPDATE, Issue 164, in the picture of the Zhviller Rebbe’s gravestone, you have a picture (top right) with Hashem’s name— “Elo…nu”—which is shemos and requires geniza. Please notify your readers and next time be more careful. Thank you. -Rabbi Chaim Bleier, Minchas Yitzchak well as more serious long-term problems. Turning to another subject, I am trying to help three single mothers who are about to be evicted from their homes. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Tax-exempt donations can be made to the ADAHAN FUND, 2700 W. Chase, Chicago, Illinois, 60645. Many thanks in advance. Dr. Miriam Adahan The subject of Ritalin use is far too complicated for a media column. On the one hand, parents are terrified that lack of Ritalin will condemn their children to lifelong low self-esteem due to their inability to sit calmly and succeed at learning. On the other hand, there is the fear of side effects. Before giving a child Ritalin, please have him checked for the MTHFR genetic defect. MTHFR can be the cause of anxiety, agitation and poor concentration. Children with MTHFR who use Ritalin tend to have more side effects, such as tics, insomnia, and food disorders, as I recently read an article in your journal written by a woman who has lived in Israel for many years, however, she did not manage to learn Hebrew. She expressed a very positive view about how she had spent her time during the many years here and how she raised her family and helped integrate them into the society, even though she, herself, did not learn Hebrew. I, too, have lived here for many years and although I have gone to ulpan several times, I have still not learned Hebrew. This article exonerated me, and I really appreciated reading it.  -A Reader, Jerusalem I am writing regarding Nechama Wachsman’s article on making fermented foods. All the kefir recipes I’ve seen tell you to put a breathable cloth top while the kefir brews and not an airtight top which you suggest in your recipe. Which is the right way to do it? W.E., Jerusalem Nechama Wachsman replies:  Kefir is an anaerobic ferment, which means that in order to ferment properly, it needs an environment with little to no oxygen. Fermented foods that create lactic acid bacteria, such as sauerkraut, pickles, and kefir, do not need oxygen, and others such as kombucha, which creates glyconic acid for fermentation, are aerobic ferments, and are covered with a cloth. So to answer your question, kefir should be airtight, and will produce many more beneficial bacteria if not exposed to air. MAZAL TOV ENGAGEMENT (daughter) Pines Family Minchat Yitzchak BABY GIRL Glazer Family Sanhedria Murchevet ENGAGEMENT (son) Rubanowitz Family Minchat Yitzchak MARRIAGE Goldstein-Goldberg RBS/Mattersdorf BABY GIRL Ort Family Mattersdorf ENGAGEMENT (daughter) Ellinson Family Minchat Yitzchak BABY GIRL Babad Family Mattersdorf MARRIAGE (son) Cheshin (Segal) Mekor Baruch MARRIAGE Lerner-Krohn RBS/Mattersdorf NEW GRANDSON Shapiro Family Minchat Yitzchak La Madame Lingerie Boutique The perfect fit is precisely our expertise 31 Petach Tikva, Jerusalem (2 flights down) Tel: 057-319-9336 | 02-5379336 Opening Hours:10 am-1:30pm & 8:30pm -10:30pm